Sara Duterte's Impeachment Trial Proposed to Start on July 30

Update on Vice Pres. Sara Duterte’s Impeachment Trial amid Calls on Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero To Begin It

SARA DUTERTE’S IMPEACHMENT TRIAL – Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero released a proposed timetable with the target start of the trial on July 30.

Vice Pres. Sara Duterte is surrounded by several accusations regarding the budget use of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) as well as the Department of Education (DepEd) when she was still the education secretary.

Impeachment complaints were filed against Vice Pres. Duterte at the House of Representatives. The complainants behind the first three (3) complaints against the Vice President came from different walks of life. There are lawyers, civic society leaders, and religious members.

In the fourth impeachment complaint against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte, 2/3 of the lawmakers in the House have signed it. Presidential son and Ilocos Norte 1st District Representative Sandro Marcos is one of those who signed the impeachment raps against Duterte.

Now, it is up to the Senate to proceed with Vice Pres. Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial. There were a lot of calls for the upper chamber to begin the impeachment trial right away.

Previously, Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero said he will not force Vice Pres. Duterte to attend the impeachment trial unless it is really needed. The Senate President also expressed that there is no need for a special session.

The upper chamber is currently on break. Recently, Senate Pres. Escudero issued a proposed timetable regarding Vice Pres. Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial. Based on a report on GMA News, the proposed commencement of the impeachment trial is set on July 30.

Based on the report, here is the proposed timetable for the impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Duterte:

June 2 at 3 p.m.: Resumption of session; presentation of the Articles of Impeachment by the prosecutors; and Approval of the revised Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials
June 3 at 9 a.m.: Convening the Impeachment Court and oath-taking of incumbent senator-judges
June 4: Issuance of summons
June 14 to 24: Reception of pleadings
June 24 to July 25: Pre-trial
July 28: Inaugural session of the Senate of the 20th Congress (10 a.m.); Joint Session of Congress to hear the State of the Nation Address of the President (4 p.m.)
July 29: Oath-taking of newly elected senator-judges before the Senate sitting as an Impeachment Court (9 a.m.); Plenary session of the Senate (3 p.m.)
July 30: Start of trial (9 a.m. to 2 p.m.)